The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Want a Happier Healthier City? Bikes are a Bargain
Not only are car-oriented environments ugly, they're costly from an environmental, health, and public investment standpoint. Elly Blue finds that for comparative pennies, bike-friendly cities get happier, healthier, and less broke residents.
Could a Little Black Box Transform Road Funding in the U.S.?
Southern California's powerful regional planning association is one of the many public agencies across the United States that sees the future of road funding in a new technology called a 'black box'.
D.C.'s Guerrilla Gardener Gets His Revenge
Many D.C. commuters were saddened to learn in July that hundreds of flowers surreptitiously planted at an area Metro station would be removed by officials. But has the city's "Phantom Planter" had the last laugh?
Breakthrough Building is Assembled Like an Airplane Engine
In Brooklyn's Navy Yard, the largest modular high-rise building in the world is being assembled one floor at a time by teams of 10 to 15 union workers. Sydney Brownstone tours the milestone in modular construction.
Effort to Urbanize Las Vegas Hits a Political Wall
In a delicious irony, the Las Vegas City Council has overturned the mixed-use zoning of a parcel in an area planned for more density to make room for a gas station.
Cyber Attack Causes Eight-Hour Traffic Jam
Last month, hackers were able to shut down Haifa's Carmel Tunnels toll road, a major thoroughfare in Israel's third-largest city, in two days of cyber attacks. The attacks should come as a warning for our increasingly automated infrastructure.
Neighborhoods Matter
Against a backdrop of increasing spatial segregation of incomes, Robert J. Sampson looks at how neighborhood inequality influences multiple aspects of everyday life. How we address such inequality indicates what kind of society we want to be.
10 Models for Revamping Your Outdated Retail Center
With retail tastes changing faster than a window display at the Gap, communities across the world are developing creative solutions to refresh their vacant and underutilized retail centers. Ten projects show what's possible.
L.A. Boulevard's Star Turn Has Neighbors Feeling Upstaged
As Abbot Kinney Boulevard becomes a mecca for the famous, the affluent, and international tourists, locals fear losing their place along "the Coolest Block in America".
San Diego Incubates Civic Innovation
One of Bob Filner's better ideas during his short time as mayor was to establish a Civic and Urban Initiatives program, a think tank to spur innovation and civic engagement. Thankfully this program will outlive Filner's disgraceful departure.
As Electric Vehicles "Lose Their Spark" State Governments Try to Give a Jump-Start
Kirk Kardashian examines the headwinds confronting the much-hyped, but poorly selling, E.V. industry in the aftermath of a disappointing year. Meanwhile California, New York and six other states have announced plans to help energize sales.
The Most Scenic Commute in the U.S.
Take a ride with NPR's Jane Greenhalgh on one of "the most scenic rides in America", according to host, Steve Inskeep. Patients, staff, and visitors to Ore. Health and Science University enjoy the free, aerial tram ride to the top of a Portland hill.
How "Train Nerds" Saved NYC's Subway from Sandy
It took an effort that was both well-planned and ad-hoc to save NYC's backbone from Hurricane Sandy, and have the city's transit system back up and running again soon after the storm. Robert Sullivan examines that effort and what happens next time.
Port Truckers Strike over Clean-Air Regulations
Nonunion truckers at the Port of Oakland are on a work-stoppage over both work rules and compliance with a 2008 CARB diesel regulation requiring drayage trucks to be 2007 or newer. They want a year extension and more funding to assist in compliance.
Architects' Lackluster Commitment to Carbon-Neutrality
According to the AIA’s third-annual progress report on its 2030 Commitment, the number of firms signing on to the environmental program is up. At the same time, the proportion of firms reporting progress toward their goal is underwhelming.
The World's Biggest Housing Bubbles
More than five years ago, the collapse of overinflated housing markets brought the global economy to its knees. Though some countries are still struggling to recover, the bubbles are back in others. Here are 5 of the world's largest housing bubbles.
Mumbai's Airport City: Catalyst for Development
Roger Duffy, design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, discusses the firm's forthcoming airport and airport city in Mumbai, and how this new development differs from 20th century airports.
What Did New York Sound Like in the 1920s?
"The Roaring 'Twenties", an interactive soundscape created by a historian of sound, technology and cultures of listening at Princeton, seeks to immerse people in the sounds of 1929 New York City, and demonstrate that noise pollution is nothing new.
What Will it Take to Better Balance Bike Share Systems?
As we've noted here, some of the most popular bike share systems have been victims of their own success, with high use docking stations often full or empty - depending on the time of day. Henry Grabar examines efforts to automate the rebalancing act.
A Reason to Celebrate More Driving
On these pages we usually tout the developed world's decline in driving and car ownership. But in Saudi Arabia, where women are not allowed to drive, the automobile serves as a vehicle for improving human rights.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
